Ashland suffers rash of burglaries

Police arrested a teenager they suspect burglarized two Ashland businesses earlier this week, but he was still in custody when two more businesses were hit on Wednesday.

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By Mandy Valencia

DailyTidings.com

By Mandy Valencia

Posted Mar. 16, 2013 at 2:00 AM
Updated Mar 17, 2013 at 9:53 PM

By Mandy Valencia

Posted Mar. 16, 2013 at 2:00 AM
Updated Mar 17, 2013 at 9:53 PM

» Social News

Police arrested a teenager they suspect burglarized two Ashland businesses earlier this week, but he was still in custody when two more businesses were hit on Wednesday.

Police arrested a 17-year-old boy after receiving an anonymous tip connecting him to the burglaries, said Ashland police Deputy Chief Corey Falls. The boy later confessed to the crimes after being interviewed by police, Falls said.

A glass pipe taken from Stop N Shop and a glass water bong from Fire and Water Smoke Shop were found in the teen's possession, Falls said. The boy was taken to the Jackson County juvenile detention center in Medford and charged with two counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of second-degree theft, and two counts of criminal mischief.

The string of burglaries began Sunday when someone broke a window to gain entry to the Stop N Shop at 110 Lithia Way. On Tuesday, someone stole $105 and a water bong from the Fire and Water Smoke Shop at 1658 Siskiyou Blvd., police said, though how the burglar entered was not immediately available. The bong was later found in the juvenile's possession, they said.

On Wednesday, at 5:24 a.m., police received a report that RadioShack at 1638 Ashland St. had been burglarized after someone smashed a window adjacent to a door, police said. It is not yet known what was taken. Later that day, Steve Fuller, owner of South Side Tattoo at 1762 Ashland St., reported that a camera and some camera equipment were stolen from the shop, according to Falls.

"I don't know why this is the special week," Falls said. "To have four or five burglaries in a week is unusual."

Investigators ask anyone with information about the burglaries to call Ashland police at 541-488-2211.